............................. Winslow Music Curriculum  
   
 

Music Philosophy

Music is a basic and essential element to all learners. It defines culture, enhances the quality of life, and inspires the human spirit. With active and intelligent participation, students become lifelong learners and will understand the importance of music in their lives.

"Music is a moral law. It gives a soul to the Universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, and a gaiety to life............"

Plato

  
   
  Music Curriculum  
    Scope and Sequence  
    KEY: I=Introduce R=Reinforce M=Mastery  
       
   
       
  General Music  
  Melody  
   

  ------------------- Skills------------------Grade Levels

  K  1  2  3  4  5
 Distinguish between high and low  I  R  R  M    
 Distinguish between high and low and same  I  R  M      
 Recognize melodic direction  I  R  R  M    
..................associate simple diagrams with melodic patterns  I R R M    
 ..................understand that the musical alphabet goes from a-g        I R M
 Understand placement on the staff of high/low, up/down      I R R M
 Understand that printed music moves from left to right  I R M      
 Develop a repertoire of rote songs  I R R R R R
 ............................sing with increasing pitch accuracy  I R R R R R
 Participate in age-appropriate singing experiences  I R R R R R
 Hear and respond whether a phrase song feels "finished"      I R M  
 Label the treble clef and staff symbols      I R  R R
 .........................recognize the letter names of the lines and spaces        I R R
 Recognize and perform step, skip, and repetition        I  R  R
 Understand that tonal centers create a need for accidentals          I  R
 Recognize melodic themes within compositions          I R
 Recognize counter-melodies            I
             
             
 
       
  Harmony  
   

 ----------------------Skills-------------------Grade Levels

  K  1  2  3  4  5
 Recognize that sound can be combined  M          
 ........................chords can be used to accompany songs    I R R R R
 ........................chords can/cannot fit within a melody    I R R R R
 ........................hear and respond to chord changes  I R R R R R
 Use classroom instruments to accompany songs  I R R R R R
 ........................accompany songs w/simple harmonic ostinato    I R R R R
 Hear and respond to major and minor      I R R R
 Recognize and use simple rounds to increase level of difficulty        I R R
 Sing simple descants and partner songs          I R
 Experience simple two-part harmony            I
 Understand the addition of the I IV V chords to song accompaniments          I R
 Recognize that counter-melodies produce harmony            I
 
       
  Rhythm  
   

 ----------------------Skills---------------------Grade Level

  K  1 2 3 4 5
 Distinguish between beat and rhythm  I  R R R R R
 Distinguish between even and uneven  I  R R R  R M
 ......................hear and respond to duple and triple meters        I  R R
 ......................label strong and weak as accented and unaccented    I  R R R R
 Distinguish between short and long  I  R M      
 Distinguish between strong and weak  I R R M    
 Distinguish between sound and silence  M          
 ......................Recognize that note and rest values are relative  I  R R R R M
 Associate simple diagrams with rhythmic patterns  I R M      
 ......................begin to use simple notation      I R R R
 ......................use the top number of a time signature        I R R
.......................read and perform simple rhythmic patterns  I R R R M  
 Recognize that note/rest values vary according to time signatures          I R
 Perform rhythm patterns to a beat    I R R R R
 ......................clap a steady beat to accompany singing  I R R R R R
 ......................experience more complex rhythmic patterns        I R R
 Use percussion with increasing accuracy and confidence  I R R R R R
 Experience a variety of time signatures          I R
 
       
  Form  
   

 --------------------------Skills----------------Grade Levels

  K  1 2 3 4 5
 Distinguish between same and different  I R M      
 Recognize that themes repeat  I R R R R M
 Understand that a number of sections make up a whole    I R R R M
 begin to label sections in music      I R R R
 recognize and label A-B or A-B-A forms            I
 Recognize and respond to score symbols        I R R

 Recognize that there's a wide variety of instruments and vocal compositional forms

(ex. Symphony, sonata, opera, etc.)

            I
 
       
  Timbre  
   

 ----------------------Skills--------------------Grade Levels

  K 1 2 3 4 5
 Distinguish between same and different  I R M      
 ..................classify and compare instruments by sound    I R R R R
................................. instruments grouped by pitch range            I
 ..................group traditional instrument families by sound      I R R M
 ..................begin to recognize traditional instruments  I R R R M  
 Distinguish between voice and instruments  I M        
 Recognize that all voices change and a certain lack of control is natural and unavoidable            I
 
       
  Expressive Qualities  
   

 ---------------------Skills---------------------Grade Level

  K  1 2 3 4 5
 Distinguish between slow and fast  M          
................... recognize the difference between high/low, fast/slow    I R R R R
 ...................recognize and label louder/softer, faster/slower        I R R
 Distinguish between loud and soft  M          
 ...................recognize that volume and tempo can change in a piece    I R R M  
 ..................recognize and respond to musical symbols for loud/soft        I R R
 Respond to style and mood in music  I R M      
 Begin to use symbols for expressive labels      I R R R
 Recognize that personal music preferences are:            
 ..................................affected by many outside influences  I R R R R R
...................................valid and must be respected  I R R R R R
 
       
       
   
       
  Instrumental Music  
   

Elements/Skills Grade Levels: 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

  
   

KEY: I=Introduce R=Reinforce M=Mastery

  
  Tone Production  
   

 -------------Skills--------------Grade levels

  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 Demonstrate basic characteristic tone on instrument  I R R M        
 Demonstrate ability to make judgments concerning tone quality within an ensemble      I R R R R M
 Demonstrate articulations  I R R R M      
 Demonstrate staccato and legato    I R R R R R M
 Demonstrate vibrato, marcato, etc        I R R R R
 Demonstrate dynamic levels of piano/forte  I R R M        
 Demonstrate to perform at subtle dynamic levels - crescendo/decrescendo      I R R R R M
 
       
  Technique  
   

 ----------------Skills-----------------Grade Levels

  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 Demonstrate proper assembly and maintenance of instrument I M            
 Demonstrate correct posture, embouchure, and breath support  I R M          
 Demonstrate correct use of fingering chart  I R M          

 Demonstrate correct knowledge of fingering, alternate fingerings, and trills

Percussion: sticking/grip rudiments

  I R R R R R R M
 Perform a variety of articulations - slurs, legato / staccato, etc.  I R M          
 Demonstrate correct tuning of one's instrument  I R M          
 Demonstrate SCALES: B flat Concert - ascending and descending  I M            
Demonstrate SCALES: F and E flat G Concert - ascending and descending    I R M        
Demonstrate SCALES: Chromatic    I R M        
 Demonstrate SCALES: Remaining Major Scales          I R R M
 
       
  Reading  
   

 ------------------Skills---------------Grade Levels:

  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 Understand the line space relationship of their own clef  I M            
 Demonstrate knowledge of pitch notation by naming and performing  I R R R M      
 Demonstrate ability to read and apply musical terms to the performance of music    I R R R R R  M
Demonstrate knowledge of 4/4, 2/4, and 3/4  I M            
 Demonstrate knowledge of 2/2 and 6/8      I R R M    
 Demonstrate knowledge of complex meters        I R R R M
 Understand basic purpose of key signatures  I R R M        
 Demonstrate a steady beat  I M            
 Demonstrate knowledge of simple rhythms (counting, clapping, and performing)  I M  
 Demonstrate knowledge of complex duple and triple rhythms     I R R R R  M
 Demonstrate the ability to sight-read as a regular part of ensemble experience   I R R R R R  M
 Demonstrate the ability to read music with increasing speed and accuracy.     I R R R R  M
 
       
  Auditory Perception  
   

 ---------------Skills-------------Grade Levels:

  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 Imitate modeled examples in different tempi, articulations, rhythms, and dynamics  I R R R R R R M
 Memorize simple melodies  I R R M        
 Memorize complete compositions      I R R R R M
 Improvise simple melodies    I R R M      
 Improvise more complex melodies          I R R M
 Development of relative and intonation within the ensemble      I R R R R M
 Develop awareness of role of individual in relation to whole, in terms of balance and timbre      I R R R R M
 Demonstrate the ability to identify structured units such as phrases, sections, introductions and endings      I R R R R M
 Demonstrate an awareness of texture on music (monophonic,homophonic, polyphonic and mixed textures)      I R R R R M
                 
 
       
  Expression  
   

 ----------------Skills---------------Grade Level

  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 Demonstrate an ability to incorporate expressive elements of style and phrasing in individual/group performances      I  R R R R M
 Demonstrate greater dynamic flexibility      I R R R R M
 
       
  Ensemble  
   

 ---------------Skills---------------Grade Level

  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 Actively participate in performing ensemble  I R R R R R R M
 Demonstrate the responsibilities of a good ensemble performer  I M            
 Demonstrate a positive attitude toward group participation and self discipline, as they apply to group goals  I R R R R R R M
 Demonstrate independence in performance of rhythm patterns    I R R r R R M
 Demonstrate the ability to perform an individual part in a homogeneous and heterogeneous setting  I M            
 Demonstrate the ability to perform in either large ensembles or small ensembles    I R R M      
 Demonstrate contribution to a sense of ensemble theory-matching/blending of sounds, balance and pitch    I R R R R R M
 
       
       
   
       
  Choral Music  
       
  Tone Production  
   

 -----------------Skills---------------Grade Levels

  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 Ability to differentiate between singing and speaking voice  M              
 Demonstrate correct posture/breathing skills  I R R R M      
 Demonstrate fundamentals of diction  I R  R R  R R R M
 Develop skills to accommodate the changing voice    I R R R M  
 Clarify and demonstrate relationship between vowels and consonants and tone production    I R R R R R M
 Develop proper vocal placement    I R R R R R M
 Demonstrate expanded vocal ranges in each section  I R R R R R R R
 
       
 

Reading

  
   

 --------------Skills---------------Grade Levels

  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 Ability to follow a two part octavo score  I R R R M      
 Ability to follow a three part octavo score          I R M  
 Ability to follow a four part octavo score          I R R M
 Recognize, understand and demonstrate relationship between written notation and sound  I R M          
 Understand the relationship of key signature to scales  I R R R R R R M
 Ability to sight-sing four part harmony - ex. Hymns          I R R M
 Recognize complex rhythmic patterns and chromatics          I R R M
 
       
  Auditory Perception  
   

 ------------Skills--------Grade level

 5

 6

 7

 8

 9

  10  11  12
 Demonstrate awareness of pitch and timbre through unison singing  R M            
 Recognize the difference between unison and harmony  I R M          
 Be able to sing in two-part harmony    I  R R R M    
 Begin to experience three-part harmony    I R R R R M  
 Recognize major and perfect intervals    I R R  R R M  
 Be able to sing major and minor triads    I R R R R M  
 Recognize and reproduce minor, diminished and augmented intervals    I R R R R R M
 
       
  Expression  
   

 ------------Skills----------Grade Level

  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12
 Recognize expressive qualities of dynamics and tempo in music  I R R R M      
 Recognize expressive qualities of phrasing in music    I R R R R R  M
 Recognize expressive qualities of tone color in music, in addition to dynamics, tempo and phrasing    I R R M      
 Demonstrate understanding of various style characteristics    I R R M      
 
       
  Ensemble  
   

 ----------Skills------------Grade level

  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12
 Demonstrate awareness of individual contribution to group effort  M              
 Respond to director's leadership  I R R R M      
 Be aware to the importance of vocal blend    I R R M      
 Understand the role of singer as both soloist and ensemble member  I R M          
 Be able to follow and reproduce simple beat patterns  I R M          
 Develop part independence within large ensemble  I R R R M      
 Demonstrate the ability to articulate precisely the components of blend and balance  I R R R R M    
 Demonstrate the ability to perform independent parts by singing in quartets          I R R M
 
       
  Communication  
   

 ---------Skills---------------Grade level

  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 Understand how voice as an instrument translates printed music to listening audiences  R R M          
 Adhere to concert etiquette principles  R  R R R M      
 Be introduced to foreign language    I R R R R R R
 Continue to perform repertoire from a variety of style periods and in several languages          I R R R
 Demonstrate understanding of effects of facial/body expression on reception of choral group  I R R R M      
 
       
  Click here to go to Winslow Music Home Page  
  Back to the Curriculum Directory